ES2284599T3 - ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF INFORMATION OF ALL OR NOTHING TYPE, IN SPECIAL FOR AN APPLICATION IN THE RAILWAY. - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrical circuit for transmitting an item of information relating to the state of a parameter or of a piece of equipment, in particular for application in the railway field. The circuit includes a device for regulating the current flowing through the switch, including a switch device for switching over connections and having an inductive energy storage device and a capacitive energy storage device which, under steady conditions, alternate between being a device for storing and a device for restoring a fraction of the energy of the electrical circuit depending on the alternating state of the connections, as defined by the switch device. The invention also provides an electrical system incorporating such a circuit.

Description

Electrical circuit for the transmission of all or nothing information, especially for an application in the railway field.

The invention relates to an electrical circuit for the transmission of information of the all or nothing type, in special for an application in the railway field.

In a train, many type signals are transmitted all or nothing indicating the status of a parameter or of a device, for example, up to an electronic circuit of automaton control or to a control and signaling board.

For example, these signals are representative of the state of a circuit breaker or of the open or closed position of An access door to a wagon.

The signals are intended to be transmitted with a high degree of security and availability, which makes inadequate use of low energy type connections Person who is dedicated to computer science.

A solution currently employed consists of connect a circuit to the two terminals of an accumulator closed loop electric, comprising in series at least one switch related to the state of the control element, a resistance, and a galvanic isolation connection connected to the target device of the information contained in the signal, for example the electronic control circuit of an automaton or the control and signaling board.

The open or closed position of the switch is representative of the state of a parameter or of a device. When he switch is closed, a current, whose intensity is limited by resistance, circulates through the circuit. When is open, no current passes. The presence or absence of this current is transformed by connection to isolation galvanic in an information all or nothing communicated to the circuit electronic.

In general, a train comprises a plurality of circuits like these connected to the same terminals accumulator.

As switches have a tendency to oxidize, a minimum current intensity, of the order of some tens of milliamps, you must go through each of these switches to clean them.

This current is consumed by the resistance without any profit.

In addition, the power dissipated in the resistance Joule produces heat, which must be evacuated.

One solution could be to use fans.

However, currently, it is avoided, and even prohibits using such fans as a cooling mode of the electronic circuits that trains carry for reasons of reliability, since a fan comprises components mechanics susceptible to clogging, flu and In general, to cause a breakdown.

As the reliability of electrical components and electronics decreases a lot when the room temperature increases, it tries to generate the least amount of heat possible.

On the other hand, as the accumulator feeds on general several circuits, and other equipment, the voltage that supplies varies in time with the level of the load connected to its terminals

Then, the intensity of the current in the circuit, proportional to the state of charge of the accumulator.

Therefore, to obtain the minimum intensity required for cleaning the switches, a significant increase in current consumption and therefore of power, during certain periods in the course of circuit operation Supplementary heat production accompanying this consumption aggravates the problem of evacuation of this hot.

The amount of heat dissipated increases with the number of switches and information to be transmitted.

Document DE-A- 4 221 916 describes an electrical circuit according to the preamble of the claim 1.

The invention aims to reduce the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above.

Then, the invention aims at transmit all or nothing information with a high degree of reliability and availability, while reducing power dissipated by Joule effect.

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Therefore, it aims at a circuit electrical transmission of the state of a parameter or of a device, intended to be connected to the terminals of an accumulator of supply and comprising:

- a galvanic isolation connection between said electrical circuit and an output for the emission of a status information, and

- a switch whose open or closed position is representative of the status information and that determines the passage of a current in said electrical circuit, ensuring the electrical circuit the transmission of the status information of the switch to the exit, by means of the connection to isolation galvanic, characterized by the fact that it comprises means for regulate the intensity of the current in the switch, which it comprises switching means of the connections between the elements that constitute the electrical circuit and that includes inductive storage media in series with the switch and capacitive storage media that, on a permanent basis, each alternately form storage media and media of restitution of part of the energy of said electrical circuit, according to the alternative state of said connections between different elements of the electrical circuit, determined by the switching means

According to other characteristics of this circuit electric:

- the galvanic isolation connection is connected in series with the switch;

- the means to regulate the intensity of the current in the switch further comprise control means of a characteristic magnitude of the state of the electrical circuit and of alternative control of the switching means of the connections between the elements that constitute the electrical circuit in function of the state of said electrical circuit;

- the means of switching the connections between the elements that constitute the electrical circuit connect alternatively at least the inductive storage media, the switch, the accumulator and the storage media capacitive series in a closed loop over the course of a First phase, in permanent regime, of restitution by the media inductive storage of a quantity of stored energy in the capacitive storage media, and the media of Inductive storage, switch and means of series capacitive storage in a closed loop in a second phase, in permanent regime, of restitution by means capacitive storage of an amount of stored energy by inductive storage media, the polarity being of the connections between inductive storage media and capacitive storage media inverted between the first and the second phase;

- inductive storage media and capacitive storage media respectively comprise a series inductance with the switch and a capacity, the circuit Electric comprises in series with the switch and inductance, a first and a second branch in parallel, and comprises a resistance in parallel with the switch and inductance, and connected to a point of the second branch, the capacity being connected to the second branch, and the switching means of the connections comprise means to alternately direct to the first and the second branch the current that passes through the switch and inductance;

- the galvanic isolation connection is connected to the first branch;

- the galvanic isolation connection is connected in series with the capacitor to the second branch;

- the galvanic isolation connection is connected in series with the resistor;

- the period, during which the current goes through the switch and the inductance circulates successively through the first and the second branch, and the cyclic relationship, which is the circulation time of this current through the first branch divided by said period, they are respectively fixed and variable and determined by the means of control of the magnitude characteristic of the state of the electrical and control circuit periodic switching media;

- the means to lead alternatively to the first and second branch the current passing through the switch  and the inductance comprise a controlled switch connected to the first branch and a diode connected to the second branch between, by one side, one of the unions of the first and second branches, and by other side, the connection point of the resistance to the second branch, the capacity being located between, on the one hand, the other of these two unions between the first and the second branch, and on the other side, the connection point of the resistance to the second branch;

- the galvanic isolation connection is connected in series with the diode;

- the galvanic isolation connection consists in an optical coupling;

- the galvanic isolation connection consists in a transformer;

- the primary of said transformer forms also at least part of the storage media inductive;

- said control means of a magnitude characteristic of the state of the electrical and control circuit periodic switching means also form the connection to galvanic isolation and are, for that purpose, provided with said output for the issuance of information on the one hand, and can issue this information from the treatment of said magnitude characteristic, especially from the cyclic relationship, by other side;

- the peak value, in the course of a period, of the current passing through the switch constitutes said characteristic magnitude of the state of the electrical circuit;

- the potential at the connection point of the resistance to the second branch constitutes said magnitude characteristic of the state of the electrical circuit;

- the voltage at the resistance terminals constitutes said characteristic magnitude of the state of the circuit electric;

- also includes means to check its correct operation, regardless of the position of the status switch;

- the means to check the operation Correct of this electrical circuit include:

?

a controlled switch of test and a test accumulator connected to a first circuit in series connected in turn in parallel with a second circuit in series comprising the status switch and a place intended for the supply accumulator connection, and

?

an automatic test unit, connected to the control terminal of the test controlled switch and upon departure for the issuance of status information;

- the means to check the operation Correct of this electrical circuit include:

?

a controlled switch of test connected in parallel with the status switch, the set connected in series with a point for the connection of the supply accumulator intended to also ensure the function of a test accumulator; Y

?

an automatic test unit, connected to the control terminal of the test controlled switch and upon departure for the issuance of status information;

- the automatic test unit, also connected to the control means of a characteristic magnitude of the  state of the electric circuit and alternative media control switching connections, is adapted to maintain said switching means in at least one override position of the current in said electrical circuit;

- the means to check the operation correct of this electrical circuit comprise at least one diode of protection connected in series with the status switch, for block a current from the controlled switch of test;

- the means to check the operation correct of this electrical circuit comprise another diode of protection connected in series with the controlled test switch, to block a current that comes from the switch state.

The invention also aims at a system electric intended to transmit a plurality of information from state, characterized by the fact that it comprises an accumulator and a plurality of electrical circuits, as described more above, each one intended to transmit status information and connected in parallel to the terminals of said accumulator.

According to other features of this system electric, this is mounted on a railway convoy, each being switch associated with an element or a team of said convoy railway, for the control of its state or position.

The invention will be better understood with reading of the following description, offered only by way of example and in which reference is made to the attached drawings, in which:

- Fig. 1 represents an electrical system according to a first embodiment variant of the invention for the transmission of a plurality of all or nothing information;

- Fig. 2 represents an electrical circuit elementary of the electrical system of figure 1 for transmission of an all or nothing information;

- the graphs of figures 3a, 3b and 3c they represent the theoretical values of the currents according to the time, in three branches of the circuit of figure 2 respectively;

- Fig. 4 represents an elementary circuit analogous to that of figure 2 according to an example of embodiment of the first embodiment variant of the invention;

- Fig. 5 represents an elementary circuit analogous to that of figure 2 according to a second variant embodiment of the invention;

- Fig. 6 represents an elementary circuit analogous to that of figure 2 according to a third variant embodiment of the invention; Y

- Fig. 7 represents an elementary circuit according to the first embodiment variant of the invention illustrated in figure 2, further comprising this elementary circuit means to automatically check its correct operation.

A first variant of realization of a electrical system 1 according to the invention is illustrated in the figure one.

The electrical system 1 is capable of transmitting a plurality of information all or nothing to a circuit 2 electronic control of automatons.

The electrical system 1 comprises a plurality of elementary electrical circuits CE (i), here n, connected in parallel to the terminals of an accumulator of 3. Supply as explained below, each circuit Elemental CE (i) can transmit all or nothing information representative of the state of an element or control equipment, especially a team of rail vehicles.

A connection S (1) ... S (i) ... S (n) recovers at the output of each elementary circuit CE (i), all or nothing information through a connection that will be described later, to transmit it to one of the input ports P (1) ... P (i) ... P (n) of the electronic circuit 2.

The electronic circuit 2 also comprises Output ports 4 for example for PLC control (no represented).

In the intended main application, the supply accumulator 3, electrical system 1 and circuit 2 electronic are intended to be mounted on a train. It is obvious that the automaton control electronic circuit 2 can replaced by a control and signaling board or by any device capable of receiving and treating a All or nothing information.

In general, supply accumulator 3 is the Only source of continuous voltage for the entire train. Also they various train-mounted equipment that needs a power supply in direct current they are powered by this single accumulator 3. Then, the voltage you supply is likely to vary in the time, depending on the load on its terminals, between 0.6 times and 1.4 times its nominal voltage.

Accumulators 3, generally used currently on trains, they have nominal voltages of 24 volts, 36 volts, 48 volts, 96 volts and 110 volts.

For reasons of clarity, it has been isolated in the Figure 2, an elementary electrical circuit CE (i) that forms part of the electrical system construction 1. This circuit Elemental CE (i) comprises a loop B fed by the accumulator 3 and comprising, arranged in series, a switch of state 5, an inductance 6, a galvanic isolation connection 7 which can be realized, for example, by means of a coupling optical, and two branches 8 and 9 in parallel.

For reasons of comfort, the following is adopted agreement in the continuation of the description: the sense of circulation of a current in loop B of terminal + towards the terminal - of accumulator 3 defines a positive orientation of this loop B.

Branch 8 comprises, arranged in series, a transistor 10 and a regulating device 11 that controls said transistor 10. The polarization of transistor 10 is such that a current flowing between the two main electrodes of the Transistor, apart from the command ones, is positive according to the orientation Conventional loop B adopted above.

The regulating device 11 comprises some means for measuring the intensity of the current that runs through the branch 8, as well as a clock (not shown).

The second branch 9 comprises a diode 12 and a capacitor 13 in series.

A resistor 14 is disposed between a point P of branch 9 located between diode 12 and capacitor 13, and the + terminal of the accumulator 3.

Diode 12 is polarized only it allows the discharge of the capacitor 13 by the resistance 14.

The item or equipment whose status is wanted check triggers the closing and opening of the status switch 5.

When switch 5 is open, it does not pass no current through loop B through the galvanic connection 7, which, when it consists of an optical coupling, does not supply no output current to connection S (i) or output for Issuance of status information.

The command frequency of transistor 10 is set, for example around 240 kHz, by means of the clock regulating device 11. During a period T defined as the inverse of this transistor command frequency 10, said period being fixed in the example described, but which may become variable in other embodiments, transistor 10 is made driver and crashes successively. The cyclic ratio α, which is the time during which transistor 10 leads divided for the period T, it is variable. The regulation device 11 determined by comparison of the peak value of the current that travels through branch 8 during a period T with a value of setpoint of the order of 25 mA stored in the device regulation 11, to regulate the current in loop B.

When switch 5 is open, the current in branch 8 is zero, and therefore less than the value of setpoint of the regulating device 11. Then, the relationship cyclic α is equal to 1 and transistor 10 becomes conductor continuously.

It will also be seen that, in this position of switch 5, the potential V_ {p} at point P is equal to the voltage E at the accumulator terminals 3.

When switch 5 is operated from its open position towards its closed position, then a transitional phase Since transistor 10 is conductive, inductance 6 of value L and of own resistance r is subjected to voltage E supplied by the accumulator 3. The intensity i_ {6} of the current in inductance 6 is determined by the relationship:

E = L (di_ {6} / dt) + ri_ {6}

and grows exponentially in function of time t in the general case and substantially linearly when the command period is much less than the time constant of value inductance 6 L / r.

After one or several periods T, the current i_ {6} reaches a value such that the cyclic relation? begins to move away from its initial value equal to 1 and transistor 10 crashes

The inductance 6 is demagnetized by a current i_ {12} that crosses diode 12, in the direction of point P. This current i_ {12} is divided into P into two currents i_ {13} and i_ {14} running respectively on capacitor 13 and resistance 14. Initially, the current i_ {14} is relatively small, since most of the current i_ {12} that comes from diode 12 is applied to capacitor 13. The current i_ {13} increases the charge of the capacitor 13 and the potential V_ {p} at point P grows above its value initial E.

At the end of period T, transistor 10 returns to be a conductor and if switch 5 is still closed, the cycle that just described repeated several times so almost-identical with approximately this difference to As from then on, the potential V_ {p} at point P increases

In each new cycle, the potential V_ {p} progressively increases to tend towards a stabilization value  after the transitional phase just described. The value of stabilization of V_ {p} is reached when the average of the current intensity i_ {14}, determined by the voltage at the resistance 14 terminals and the R value of this resistance 14 according to the ratio

i_ {14} = (V_ {p} -E) / R

is equal to the average value of the current i_ {12} passing through the diode 12.

From that moment, the elementary circuit CE (i) enters a substantially stabilized regime. Then the value of the potential Vp at point P is substantially constant.

Figures 3a, 3b and 3c illustrate the operation of the elementary circuit CE (i) when it has entered in this noticeably stabilized regime in which the current Circulating through the inductance is not interrupted.

More specifically, curve 3a represents the evolution of the current i_ {6} as a function of time in the inductance 6, and curves 3b and 3c represent the contribution of this current i_ {6} at the intensities of the current i_ {10} passing through transistor 10 and current i12 passing through diode 12 respectively.

When transistor 10 is conductive to beginning of period T for a duration αT, the potential E of accumulator 3 is applied to inductance 6. The current i_ {6} that is set in switch 5, the inductance 6, galvanic isolation connection 7, and the transistor 10, is determined, in first approximation, if the command period is much less than the time constant of the inductance 6, for the relationship:

E = L (di_6 / dt)

or also, for the relationship

i_ {6} = (E / L) t + i_ {6m}

in which t is the time e i_ {6m} is the minimum value of the current i_ {6} at the moment that transistor 10 becomes driver.

The intensity of the current i_ {6} grows approximately linearly over time t with a slope from a minimum intensity i_ {6m} up to a intensity i_ {6M} maximum.

After a duration αT, the transistor 10 is blocked and so stays, until the end of the period T. The voltage at the terminals of the inductance 6 is equal to E-V_ {p}, the potential being V_ {P} at the point P substantially constant and higher than E. The intensity of the current i_ {6} that crosses the inductance 6 is determined in First approach by relationship:

i_ {6} = (E-V_ {p}) * t / L + i_ {6m}

and decreases linearly from the maximum value i_ {6M} up to the minimum value i_ {6m}.

This current i_ {6} that passes through 6 circulates, on the one hand, by the closed loop comprising inductance 6, the diode 12, capacitor 13, accumulator 3 and switch 5. By on the other hand, this current i_ {6} circulates in resistor 14 and runs through the closed loop comprising inductance 6, diode 12, resistance 14 and switch 5.

The part of the current i_ {6} that passes through the capacitor 13 when transistor 10 is blocked and inductance 6 is discharged, maintains the charge of this capacitor 13 and the potential V_ {P} at point P.

In effect, the capacitor 13 is discharged by other side during the? time, while diode 12 is block, in an amount that must be on average equal to its recharge by diode 12, during the time (1-?) T, in permanent regime.

When discharged, capacitor 13 restores a part of its energy to the circuit by feeding at least the switch 5, inductance 6, galvanic isolation connection 7 and transistor 10, and eventually also feeding the accumulator 3.

From an energy point of view, at the beginning of the period T, during αT, the capacitor 13 is discharged, and a part of its energy is transferred to the inductance 6 that magnetizes, which generates the current i_ {6} in switch 5, the inductance 6, the galvanic isolation connection and the transistor 10. At the end of period T, during (1-?) T, the inductance is demagnetized and a part of its energy is transferred to the capacitor 13 that is load, which generates the current i_ {6} in switch 5, the inductance 6 and galvanic isolation connection 7.

Then, the current i_ {6} is partly consequence of a transfer of energy from the capacitor 13 to inductance 6, and from inductance 6 to capacitor 13. It should be noted that between these two phases of transfer of energy, the polarity of the connections between inductance 6 and the capacitor 13 is reversed. The accumulator 13 maintains the level of circuit power compensating for losses especially in the resistance 14. The accumulator 3 also has the function supply the initial power to the circuit during the phase transient boot commented above.

The regulating device 11 determines the cyclic ratio α to regulate the intensity of the current i_ {6} that crosses the inductance 6. When the transistor 10 is conductive, the current i6 grows. Conversely, this current i_ {6} decreases when transistor 10 crashes Then, the cyclic ratio α determines the durations of the growth and decrease phases of the current i_ {6} over the course of a period T. Increasing a of said durations with respect to the other, the device of regulation 11 can vary the intensity of the current i_ {6} between the beginning and the end of period T.

In stabilized regime, the current i6 in inductance 6 as illustrated in figure 3a, without being of Everything continues, it only varies in an interval between i_ {6m} and i_ {6M}. Its average value is adjusted to obtain the step minimum current required to ensure cleanliness of the switch 5.

Now, the current through the inductance 6 also circulates through the insulation connection galvanic 7.

Thus, when switch 5 is closed, it establishes a current in the galvanic isolation connection 7, which in response produces an output signal on the connection Yes).

The position of the insulation connection Galvanic 7 in series with switch 5 is advantageous because the signal generated at the output faithfully reflects the current that go through this switch 5.

It will be noted that the higher the capacity C of the capacitor 13, the more stable is the potential V_ {P}.

In effect, the variation of tension in the capacitor terminals 13 due to a certain variation of its load is inversely proportional to its capacity C.

However, the durations of the regimes transient opening and closing of switch 5 during the which capacitor 13 is charged and discharged respectively and that are desired to be as short as possible, evolve with the capacity C of this capacitor 13 and in the same sense as it. Then, the determination of C lies in a compromise.

The current coming from the capacitor 13 or outgoing current that crosses resistance 14 is what ensures the discharge of condenser 13. Now, in regime stabilized, the average current leaving the capacitor 13 is equal to the current i_ {6} that comes from the inductance 6 that Enter it. The latter is fixed by the device regulation 11.

Therefore, the current that comes from capacitor 13 and that crosses resistance 14 is also determined by the regulating device 11. The difference in potential V_ {P} -E at the terminals of the resistance 14 is set at a value proportional to the intensity of this current and inversely proportional to the R value of this resistance 14. Also, the R value of resistance 14 allows determine the potential difference V_ {P} -E, the value of the current i_ {6} being also set.

The operation of the invention that ends of exposing reduces the energy dissipated by Joule effect of two ways.

First, the accumulator 3 maintains the energy level in the circuit, and only the power it releases To this effect it is consumed by the Joule effect. The current i_ {6} in switch 5 is not only limited by a resistor which dissipates energy necessarily by Joule effect as in the state of the mentioned technique, if not also by transfer alternative of an amount of energy that causes growth followed by a decrease in this current i_ {6} and that allows its regulation

Second, the intensity of the current i_ {6} injected into the circuit is regulated by its maximum value i_ {6M} which is independent of the voltage E supplied by the accumulator 3. Contrary to what you get in the state of the technique, a variation of the voltage E supplied by the accumulator 3 does not introduce a variation of the current consumed for resistance 14.

In Figure 4, the insulation connection galvanic consists of a magnetic coupling made by a 7 'transformer, in the air gap in the case where the component Continuous current flowing through the primary is important, whose primary winding also forms, at least in part, that of the inductance 6. The secondary is, for its part, connected to the S (i) connection.

The operation of the elementary circuit CE (i) remains unchanged. The variation of the current i_ {6} in inductance 6 between i_ {6m} and i_ {6M}, when the switch 5 is closed, produces a voltage and / or output a current at the secondary terminals of the transformer 7 ' which constitute the output signal after grinding by A rectifier not shown.

In the embodiment variant represented in the Figure 5, the galvanic isolation connection 7 has moved from a position in series with inductance 6 towards a position in series with transistor 10, to branch 8. The operation of elementary circuit CE (i) remains the same, since the signal  output recovered on connection S (i) is intermittent as the current i_ {10} that passes through transistor 10. It they can provide in the output circuit associated with the connection of output S (i) means that allow smoothing or averaging this exit sign.

In the variant embodiment of Figure 6, the regulating device 11 has been replaced by a device regulation 11 'comprising tension measuring means V_ {P} on the capacitor terminals 13.

The regulating device 11 'determines the cyclic ratio? and controls transistor 10 to regulate the voltage V_ {P} at the capacitor terminals 13 around a setpoint

Indeed, when the cyclic ratio? increases, the average intensity of the current i_ {6} in the inductance 6 increases as seen above, as well as increases the part of this current i_ {6} that circulates through the capacitor 13 and charge. This has the effect of growing the potential V_ {P} at point P.

In fact, in stabilized regime, the current average coming out of the capacitor 13 must be equal to the current average that comes from the inductance 6 that enters it. Now well, this current that comes out of capacitor 13 and that discharges it it is also established in resistance 14 and is determined by the potential difference V_ {P} -E at the terminals of this resistance 14.

Instead, a decrease in the relationship cyclic? allows to lower the value of the potential V_ {P} at point P, indicating a decrease in average intensity of the current i6 running through the inductance 6. On the other hand, the operation of the circuit Elemental CE (i) remains unchanged.

An advantageous control variant uses a voltage measurement V_ {p} -E at the terminals of resistance 14 to regulate the current in resistance 14 by the relation (V_ {p} -E) / R and therefore by dissipated power (V_ {p} -E) 2 / R, maintaining a current at switch 5 slightly decreasing depending on accumulator voltage 3.

The invention is not limited to variants of realization just described. In particular, the connection to galvanic isolation can be arranged in any of the branches of the elementary circuit CE (i), for example in series with the diode 12, capacitor 13 or with resistor 14.

Also, transistor 10 can be replaced. for any type of controlled switch.

Also, the output information can be generated by the regulation device 11 or 11 ', which exerts then the function of the 7 or 7 'galvanic isolation connection, based on the value of the cyclic ratio α, which is equal to 1 when switch 5 is open and departs from 1 when it's closed

On the other hand, a fault may occur, for example, caused by the failure of a component, in a circuit Elemental CE (i) according to the invention, undetected or at less not before a time passes that can be more or less long, possibility that could be detrimental to the reliability that Wanted.

To the extent that the status switch determine the current flow in this elementary circuit CE (i), it can be foreseen, at first, to be used for perform an operation test in which the Effective reception of the all or nothing signal. However, this Status switch is not always easily accessible and / or actionable For example, it can be arranged at a point on the train away from the place where the reception is verified.

Also, the elementary circuit CE (i) illustrated in figure 7 comprises means 15 capable of check its correct operation, whatever the position of the status switch.

This elementary circuit CE (i) has a basic structure identical to that of the first variant of embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 2 and already commented, and includes the same elements. However, here the switch status and galvanic isolation connection are constituted by a 5 'voltage inverter and a 7' 'optical coupling respectively, this particular choice being intended only to illustrate certain characteristics.

The means 15 to check the operation correct of the elementary circuit CE (i) comprise a diode of protection 16 arranged between the voltage inverter 5 'and the inductance 6, and polarized so that the passage of a positive current according to the conventional orientation of loop B previously adopted Connected in parallel with the serial circuit comprising the protection diode 16, the voltage inverter 5 ' and the supply accumulator 3, another series circuit comprises another protection diode 17, a controlled test switch constituted by a transistor 18, and a test accumulator 19, the three belonging to the media 15. Protection diode 17 and the test accumulator 19 are polarized so that the latter be able to feed the elementary circuit CE (i), with exception of the voltage inverter 5 ', producing a current with direction identical to that supplied by the supply accumulator 3, instead of this.

In relation to this current emitted by the positive terminal of test accumulator 19, the protection diode 17 is advantageously disposed downstream of transistor 18, the latter being disposed downstream of this accumulator of test 19.

The means 15 to check the operation correct electrical circuit CE (i) also comprise a automatic test unit 20, connected to transistor 18 and advantageously to the regulating device 11, and they receive the status information emitted by the 7 '' optical coupling thanks to a connection to the S (i) connection.

Advantageously, the protection diode 16 is located on either side of the set comprising the inverter voltage 5 'and the supply accumulator 3 in series. So, some loads C (1) ... C (j) ... C (m) optional but represented to illustrate certain peculiarities of operation, made for example of relays, actuators, of closing coils of circuit breakers and / or indicator lamps, and whose status, like that of the 7 '' optical coupling, is intended for be connected to the open or closed position of the inverter of voltage 5 ', are each arranged in parallel with the circuit in series comprising the voltage inverter 5 'and the accumulator of supply 3, with the exception of protection diode 16.

When it is not being verified, the operation of this electrical circuit CE (i) remains identical to that has been described before, in which the current passing through the voltage inverter 5 'and inductance 6 also crosses the protection diode 16.

The automatic test unit 20 is capable of carry out an automated test that verifies that the circuit electric CE (i) works correctly, starting said test, for example, on each new train start.

It should be noted that the voltage inverter 5 ', whose drive can be cumbersome due to the amount considerable of these switches, can be found both in open position as in closed position.

During a first stage of the test, the unit Automatic test 20 controls transistor 18 at closing, thus ensuring the commissioning of the circuit part electric CE (i) located downstream of the protection diode 16. Then, this unit 20 verifies the emission, in the connection S (i), of information representative of the passage of a current in the optical coupling 7 '', which must be produced when this part of the CE circuit (i), located downstream of protection diode 16, works correctly.

How the galvanic isolation connection is constituted in this case by a 7 '' optical coupling, it is convenient also verify that the phototransistor of this optical coupling, what happens when you receive the luminous information due to the passage of a current in the associated photo-emitting diode, returns to its locked state, corresponding to a switch open, in the absence of this current. Now, as already said, the voltage inverter 5 'can be found in any state. Also, in a second stage of the test, the unit Automatic test 20 maintains, by means of the device regulation 11, transistor 10 in locked state. The current which crosses the optical coupling 7 '' is progressively canceled due to the energy stored in inductance 6, in the course of a transitional period that can be estimated at 5 times the time constant of this inductance (5xL / r). Indeed, as the voltage at the test accumulator terminals 19 is chosen in this case to be equal to or less than the terminals of the accumulator 3, the current that could circulate through the resistance 14 from one of these two accumulators towards the other due to the potential difference in its terminals it crashes by protection diode 17. After waiting for the transitional period has elapsed, the automatic test unit 20 verifies that the signal it receives from the S (i) connection effectively corresponds to a blocked state of the phototransistor 7 '' optical coupling.

For the entire duration of the test, the only one that not verified is the protection diode 16, and, therefore, advantageously, it should be oversized.

When the voltage at the terminals of the supply accumulator 3 is superior to that of the terminals of the test accumulator 19, protection diode 17 prevents establish a current between these two accumulators, if the 5 'voltage inverter is closed at the moment the unit Automatic test 20 keeps transistor 18 in the state driver.

Advantageously, this protection diode 17, disposed downstream of transistor 18 in relation to a current emitted by the positive terminal of the test accumulator 19, also protects transistor 18 from the destructive effects of a negative voltage that is too high at its terminals.

On its side, the protection diode 16 isolates the accumulators 3 and 19 and avoid a current from one to another when the test voltage is higher than the supply voltage, situation that can occur when the second stage of the test is not foreseen mentioned, for example because the insulation connection Galvanic is not an optical coupling.

This protection diode 16 also prevents it from set an emitted short-circuit current by test accumulator 19 when the voltage inverter 5 'is in the open position, that is when the circuit is disconnected elementary CE (i) of supply accumulator 3 and imposes a zero voltage at the terminals of this electrical circuit CE (i), while, in parallel, transistor 18 is driver. Obviously, this situation that is being avoided is not gives when a simple switch is available instead of this inverter  of tension 5 '.

The protection diode 16 also prevents the loads C (1) ... C (j) ... C (m), whose state is convenient Remember, it is intended to be connected to the voltage inverter 5 ', be fed by test accumulator 19, when the Transistor 18 is conductor.

In variant, the supply accumulator 3 It can also be connected to replace the battery test 19, while retaining its disposition inside the CE electrical circuit (i). In an arrangement like this, the Supply accumulator meets successively in time two different functions, thus saving an accumulator of specific test Then, transistor 18 is directly connected in parallel to the 5 'voltage inverter. The protection diode 17 is It becomes inoperative. Regarding protection diode 16, only the presence of loads C (1) ... C (j) ... C (m) or the use of a voltage inverter 5 'instead of a simple switch make it necessary.

It is obvious that any type of switch you can replace the voltage inverter 5 ', since it has been chosen only to illustrate the particular function performed by the protection diode 16 in the case in which it is used.

As the 7 '' optical coupling has been chosen for similar reasons, this can also be substituted for any another component capable of making an isolation connection galvanic. Some of them, such as the transformer at referenced before, they do not need a second phase of test, since they cannot generate by themselves, that is to say in absence of any current that crosses them, a signal of output on connection S (i) corresponding to a current How is it going. In this case, the connection that links the unit Automatic test 20 with the regulation device 11 is no longer necessary.

On the other hand, transistor 18 can be replaced for any component that performs the switch function checked.

The means 15 to check the operation correct electrical circuit CE (i) are intended for adapt to any variant of the invention, by example to all those that have been described before, although these means 15 have been presented in a particular combination with a single of them.

The invention is not limited to one application. railway, if not that refers to the transmission, in any scope, of an all or nothing information.

Among the advantages of the invention, it will be observed that the reduction of the total power dissipated by Joule effect in a circuit according to the invention allows to reduce the size of the resistors, which are the most bulky components, to identical temperature and cooling air speed.

This decrease in size allows reducing the space occupied by a reading path, and therefore save space for more reading circuits on the surface of a identical reading card, despite a greater amount of important components

Especially, means 15 to check automatically the operation of the electrical circuit CE (i) have especially the advantage of being presented in form of a simple circuit, which uses few components and, for Therefore, inexpensive.

In addition, these means 15 allow a test to be applied. whose degree of coverage is close to 100%, not being verified only protection diode 16.

The oversize of this diode of protection 16 greatly limits the risk caused by a breakdown.

Claims (26)

1. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) of transmission of the status of a parameter or of a device, intended for connect to the terminals of a supply accumulator (3) and which includes: - a galvanic isolation connection (7; 7 ') between said electrical circuit (CE (i)) and an output (S (i)) for the issuance of status information, and - a status switch (5; 5 ') whose open or closed position is representative of the status information and which determines the passage, when not verified, of a current in said electrical circuit (CE (i)), ensuring the electrical circuit (CE (i)) the transmission of the status information of the status switch (5; 5 ') to the output (S (i)) via the galvanic isolation connection (7; 7'), characterized by the fact that it comprises means for regulating the intensity of the current in the state switch (5; 5 '), switching means (10,12) of the connections between the elements constituting the electrical circuit (CE (i)) and inductive storage means (6) in series with the status switch (5; 5 ') and capacitive storage means (13) which, on a permanent basis, each alternately form storage means and means for restoring part of the energy of said electrical circuit (CE (i)), according to the alternative state d and said connections between the different elements of the electrical circuit (CE (i)), determined by the switching means. 2. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to claim 1, characterized in that the galvanic isolation connection (7.7 ') is connected in series with the status switch (5; 5'). 3. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the means for regulating the intensity of the current in the state switch (5; 5 ') further comprise means (11; 11 ') of control of a characteristic magnitude of the state of the electrical circuit (CE (i)) and of alternative control of the switching means (10,12) of the connections between the elements constituting the electrical circuit (CE (i) ) depending on the state of said electrical circuit. 4. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the switching means (10,12) of the connections between the elements constituting the electrical circuit (CE (i)) connect alternatively at least: - inductive storage media (6), the status switch (5; 5 '), the accumulator (3) and the means of capacitive storage (13) in series in a closed loop during a first phase, in permanent regime, of restitution by the inductive storage media (6) of an amount of energy stored by capacitive storage media (13), and - inductive storage media (6), the status switch (5; 5 ') and storage media capacitive (13) in series in a closed loop during a second phase, in permanent regime, of restitution by the means of capacitive storage (13) of an amount of energy stored by inductive storage means (6), being reversed the polarity of the connections between the means of Inductive storage (6) and storage media capacitive (13) between the first and second phase. 5. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inductive storage means and capacitive storage means respectively comprise an inductance (6) in series with the status switch (5). ; 5 ') and a capacity (13), due to the fact that the electrical circuit (CE (i)) comprises in series with the status switch (5; 5') and the inductance (6), a first and a second branch (8.9) in parallel, and comprises a resistor (14) in parallel with the status switch (5; 5 ') and the inductance (6), and connected to a point (P) of the second branch ( 9), the capacity (13) being connected to the second branch (9), and by the fact that the switching means of the connections comprise means (10,12) for directing alternatively.
You get to the first and second branches (8.9) the current that passes through the status switch (5; 5 ') and the inductance (6). 6. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to claim 5, characterized in that the galvanic isolation connection (7; 7 ') is connected to the first branch (8). 7. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to claim 5, characterized in that the galvanic isolation connection (7; 7 ') is connected in series with the capacitor (13) in the second branch (9). 8. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to claim 5, characterized in that the galvanic isolation connection (7; 7 ') is connected in series with the resistor (14). 9. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to any of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the period (T), during which the current passing through the state switch (5; 5 ') and the inductance (6) circulates successively through the first (8) and the second branch (9), and the cyclic ratio (?), equal to the time of circulation of this current by the first branch (8) divided by said period (T), are fixed and variable respectively and are determined by the means (11; 11 ') for controlling the characteristic magnitude of the state of the electrical circuit (CE (i)) and periodically controlling the switching means (10, 12). 10. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to any of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the means (10) for alternatively directing the current passing through the first and the second branch (8,9) the status switch (5; 5 ') and the inductance (6) comprise a controlled switch (10) connected to the first branch (8) and a diode (12) connected to the second branch (9) between one side, one of the two unions of the first and the second branch (8.9), and on the other hand, the point (P) of connection of the resistance (14) to the second branch (9), finding the capacity (13) between, on the one hand, the other of these two junctions of the first and second branches (8,9), and on the other hand, the point (P) of resistance connection (14) to the second branch (9). 11. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to claim 10, characterized in that the galvanic isolation connection (7; 7 ') is connected in series with the diode (12). 12. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the galvanic isolation connection (7) consists of an optical coupling. 13. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the galvanic isolation connection consists of a transformer (7 '). 14. Electrical circuit according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the galvanic isolation connection (7; 7 ') consists of a transformer (7') connected in series with the status switch (5; 5 ') and whose primary also forms at least part of the inductive storage media
Tives 15. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to any of claims 3 to 14, characterized in that said means (11; 11 ') for controlling a characteristic magnitude of the state of the electrical circuit (CE (i)) and of periodic control of the switching means (10,12) also form the connection to galvanic isolation (7; 7 ') and are, for this purpose, provided with said output S (i) for the emission of the information by a side, and are capable of issuing this information from the treatment of said characteristic magnitude, especially from the cyclic ratio (?), on the other hand. 16. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to any of claims 3 to 15, characterized in that the peak value, over a period (T), of the current passing through the state switch (5; 5 ') constitutes said characteristic magnitude of the state of the electrical circuit (CE (i)). 17. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to any of claims 5 to 15, characterized in that the potential (V_ {p}) at the connection point (P) of the resistor (14) to the second branch (9) constitutes said characteristic magnitude of the state of the electrical circuit (CE (i)). 18. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to any of claims 5 to 15, characterized in that the voltage (E-V_ {p}) at the resistance terminals (14) constitutes said characteristic magnitude of the state of the electrical circuit (CE (i)). 19. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises means (15) for checking its correct operation, regardless of the position of the status switch (5; 5 ') . 20. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to claim 19, characterized in that the means (15) for checking the correct operation of this electrical circuit (CE (i)) comprise: - a controlled test switch (18) and a test accumulator (19) connected to a first series circuit which is in turn connected in parallel to a second circuit in series comprising the status switch (5; 5 ') and a point intended for the connection of the supply tank (3), and - an automatic test unit (20), connected to the control terminal of the controlled test switch (18) and to the output (S (i)) for issuing information of state. 21. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to claim 19, characterized in that the means (15) for checking the correct operation of this electrical circuit (CE (i)) comprise: - a controlled test switch (18) connected in parallel to the status switch (5; 5 '), the set connected in series to a point for the connection of the supply accumulator (3) intended to also ensure the function of a test accumulator; Y - an automatic test unit (20), connected to the control terminal of the test controlled switch (18) and in the output (S (i)) for issuing information of state. 22. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to claim 20 or 21, characterized in that the automatic test unit (20), also connected to the control means (11; 11 ') of a characteristic magnitude of the state of the electrical circuit (CE (i)) and of the alternative control of the switching means (10, 12) of the connections, is capable of maintaining said switching means (10, 12) in at least one position of cancellation of the current in said electrical circuit (CE (i)). 23. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to any of claims 20 to 22, characterized in that the means (15) for checking the correct operation of this electrical circuit (CE (i)) comprise at least one diode protection (16) connected in series to the status switch (5; 5 '), to block a current from the controlled test switch (18). 24. Electrical circuit (CE (i)) according to any of claims 20 to 23, characterized in that the means (15) for checking the correct operation of this electrical circuit (CE (i)) comprise another protection diode (17) connected in series to the controlled test switch (18), to block a current coming from the status switch (5; 5 '). 25. Electrical system (1) intended to transmit a plurality of status information, characterized in that it comprises a supply accumulator (3) and a plurality of electrical circuits (CE (i)) according to any of claims 1 to 24, each intended to transmit status information and connected in parallel to the terminals of said accumulator (3). 26. Electrical system (1) according to claim 25, characterized in that it is mounted in a railway convoy, each state switch (5; 5 ') being associated with an element or a equipment of said railway convoy, for the Control of your status or position.